New radio station celebrating musicals to launch

Stage and screen star Luke Evans and West End favourites Michael Ball, Alfie Boe and Ruthie Henshall are among the big names assembled for the launch of new radio station Magic at the Musicals.

Following four years of sell-out shows, the popular Magic Radio event featuring cast members from some of the West End’s biggest shows will transform into a new radio station launching on Thursday (21 November 2019).

Bauer Media’s Magic at the Musicals will tap into the public’s current love affair with musical theatre and musical movies with a playlist packed with songs from the musicals new and old.

Commenting on the new station, Henshall, a regular Magic Radio presenter and one of the hosts of this year’s Magic At The Musicals at the Royal Albert Hall, said: “The station’s name is derived from our hugely successful Magic at the Musicals show which is in its fifth year at the Royal Albert Hall. From a vibrant theatre and cinema scene there’s never been a better time to bring this much-loved genre to the masses. We’ll be proudly broadcasting songs from the shows directly into households across the country. Singing out loud optional!”

Henshall is one of a number of star DJs lined up for the new station which will be available on DAB+ in London, East and South East of England and nationwide online, via listen apps and smart speakers.

The presenting line-up also includes Broadchurch’s Jonathan Bailey, Wicked’s Louise Dearman, The Phantom of the Opera’s John Owen-Jones and the CEO of UK Theatre and the Society of London Theatre, Julian Bird.

Bird, who will present a Sunday afternoon series called the Green Room, said: “This is a fantastic boost for the industry at a time when theatregoing is at an all-time high. Magic is already our partner on the Olivier Awards, West End Live and other theatre and production projects, so this feels like a perfect platform to promote theatre, and musicals in particular.”

Following on from his showstopping performance in the Remembrance Day Strictly Come Dancing show, movie star Luke Evans will be one of the special guest stars of the Saturday night series Limelight. Ball, Boe and Patricia Kelly (the wife of legendary star Gene Kelly) are also lined-up to appear in the one-hour special shows.

Angela Thomas